From the Desk of Dr. Len

Is Good Health the same as Good Fitness

Dr. Len Lopez - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Being
in good physical shape is not the same as being in good health. I have worked
with many athletes who look to be in great shape, but when we begin to dig a
little deeper, we learn that they aren’t in the best of health.

The
classic questions for being in good shape or in good fitness are:

oCan you jog two miles?

oCan you do 10-20 push-ups?

oCan you do 10-20 pull-ups?

oCan you do 30 sit-ups?

oCan you touch your toes?

oCan you hold your breath for a minute?

oWhat’s your percentage of body fat?

With
regards to good health, here are some of the basic questions you need to look at:

oDo you struggle with bloating, gas,
indigestion or heartburn?

oDo you struggle with cravings and low blood
sugar?

oAre you constantly fatigued and tired?

oDo you struggle with constipation or
diarrhea?

oDo you get headaches, lightheadedness or
dizziness regularly?

oDo you struggle with mood swings and
irritability?

oDo you struggle with insomnia and getting a
good night’s sleep?

oDo you get regular infections (sinus, colds,
flu, urinary, etc…)?

As
you can see the questions you would ask for good health and good fitness are
completely different. And don’t assume
that simply being in good shape automatically means you are in good health.

Training
like a beast is one thing, but if your digestive system isn’t working the way
it should and you always get bloated and gassy, there is a good chance you are
not absorbing all that extra protein you’re paying for.

Don’t
forget, the more intense the workout – the more rest and sleep you need. Exercise is a double-edge sword. It is a form of stress. Can you body handle the additional stress?

Most
importantly, when you design your health and fitness program, your underlying symptoms,
are a big factor in determining what type or workout you should and shouldn’t
be doing, as well as, the right type of diet for those specific maladies.

If
you’re stressed out and your adrenals are exhausted you definitely don’t want
to be doing too much anaerobic exercise, or doing your aerobic exercise in an
anaerobic state, which is Fitness Mistake #1.
This is why so many people hit a plateau and can’t figure out why they
aren’t getting the results they are hoping for.

It’s about training smart! Use
our online health questionnaire to see if there are some underlying issues that
need to be addressed and look to see if maybe you need to tweak your workout routine
to address your current level of health.

Health Quizzes

Is stress throwing off your metabolism and causing fatigue, weight gain, cravings, hormonal imbalances, etc. Your body can ONLY handle so much stress! Check to see if your problems could be a result of too much stress.

If your digestive system is not functioning properly, how do you expect to nourish and strengthen your body. All that irritation and inflammation is a further stress on your adrenal glands. Check to see if you are absorbing the nutrients in your diet and supplements.

Do you accumulate or eliminate toxins? Internal pollution, due to constipation, diarrhea, a sluggish liver and lymphatic system causes a build-up of toxins that can have a huge negative impact on your health. Test to see if your elimination system is part of your problem.

Has your metabolism shifted? Are you burning fats or carbs and lean muscle? Are you staying in your ‘fat-burning’ zone 24/7? You can never get the weight off or overcome fatigue if you’re constantly burning carbs and lean muscle!